LITERATURE PRODUCTION

"Combining the talent to create effective collateral literature and the
experience and knowledge to produce it...on time and on budget."

Copywriting
The language of any brochure must function as a part of the total impression of the piece. The flow of the language must complement the flow of the information. It must be easily understandable without "talking down" to the prospect. Easy to read means easy to understand and both contribute to a piece that is easy to buy from. Most brochures are the silent sales force that stays with the prospect. They must have the proper mix of sales copy (features, advantages, and benefits for the prospect) and technical specifications that will permit the prospect to determine if it is the right product for them. The copy must not only be organized so that it reads easily, but also so that good, solid subheads emphasize the features, advantages, and benefits-just in case the prospect doesn't feel like reading too much! Good brochure copy considers the applications, markets, technology, and selling environments, and appeals to all of them.

Graphic Design/Layout
Form should follow function and relate graphically to other corporate literature. Having a "family" or "corporate" look to each piece of literature gives cohesiveness to the products and imparts a sense of corporate organization to prospects. Another important reason SMS designers follow a graphic theme is to reduce the cost of production by keeping designing time to a minimum once a suitable "look" has been achieved. Often the corporate look can also be reflected in booth graphics and space advertising to relate the fulfillment pieces to the inquiry generating media once it is in the hands of the prospect.

Digital/Traditional Photography
SMS houses a complete photo studio where client products are economically photographed using medium format or digital cameras. These photos are used for a variety of projects including publicity releases, brochures and catalog production, video stills, booth graphics, and web site graphics. SMS also has a standing library of thousands of pieces of modifiable stock photography.

Catalog Production
The organization of a catalog is extremely important. It should be inviting, easy to follow, and should proceed in a logical manner. Just the facts are needed. Consider illustrations with concise descriptions and clear specifications and charts. This is where the prospect purchases from. Often, a general introductory statement is useful before a specific line of products, but within the line be precise and exact. It will be appreciated and makes the book easy to use, and that's what good catalogs are.

Printing Production
Experienced SMS production personnel check color proofs for proper color balance and "blueline" proofs for fidelity to the original design and general accuracy. Frequently SMS representatives, and the design artist, visit the printer to check product going on and coming off the press, paper stock, binding, and general overall quality. Producing a well-designed piece is not an easy project, and it requires a staff that has experience in all phases of printing, photography, and graphic design.